Pentagon uninvites China from major U.S. military exercise

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Wednesday uninvited China from a major U.S.-hosted naval drill in response to what it sees as Beijing's militarization of islands in the South China Sea, a decision China called unconstructive. "As an initial response to China's continued militarization of the South China Sea we have disinvited the PLA Navy from the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Logan, a Pentagon spokesman.

Multiple casualties in bomb blast in Iraqi capital Baghdad

By Raya Jalabi and Hesham Hajali BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Multiple people were killed or wounded in a suicide attack in Iraq's capital Baghdad on Thursday, Iraqi security services said. The attack took place in the predominantly Shi'ite Shula district, in northwest Baghdad. According to a statement from Iraq's National Security media center, the attacker detonated an explosive vest after he was besieged by security forces at the entrance to the Saqlawiyah park, resulting in the death and injury of "a number of civilians." No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack, though it bore the hallmarks of Islamic State.

Pentagon disinvites China from major U.S. military exercise

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Wednesday disinvited China from a major U.S.-hosted naval drill in response to what it sees as Beijing's militarization of islands in the South China Sea, a decision China called unconstructive. "As an initial response to China's continued militarization of the South China Sea we have disinvited the PLA Navy from the 2018 Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) Exercise," said Lieutenant Colonel Christopher Logan, a Pentagon spokesman.

Hairstylist: Client named Paddock said venue easy to attack

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A hairstylist said in documents released by police Wednesday that a client named Paddock spoke in the months before the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history that a Las Vegas Strip concert venue was susceptible to attack.